


For Better and Worse

by lemonsandstrawberries



Category: Marvel, Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies), The Avengers (Marvel) - All Media Types
Genre: Domestic Fluff, Drama, Fluff, Fluff and Humor, Harry Potter References, M/M, Slice of Life, Star Wars References, goes to fluff, spoilers for Harry Potter Hogwart's Mystery, starts dramatic
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-02-29
Updated: 2020-02-29
Packaged: 2021-02-28 01:27:15
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,189
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22961659
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lemonsandstrawberries/pseuds/lemonsandstrawberries
Summary: Games are supposed to bring people joy and this was something Steve didn’t see coming and it caught him completely off guard. SPOILERS FOR HARRY POTTER: HOGWART’S MYSTERY YEAR 6, CHAPTER 18 (knowing the game is not essential to reading the fic, it gets pretty self-explanatory, just a warning for those who play it). also, a spoiler for Star Wars VII near the end, but if you didn’t see it yet (granted you are a fan), getting spoiled is totally on you!
Relationships: James "Bucky" Barnes/Sam Wilson, Steve Rogers/Tony Stark
Comments: 2
Kudos: 23





	For Better and Worse

**Author's Note:**

> SPOILERS FOR _HARRY POTTER: HOGWART’S MYSTERY_ YEAR 6, CHAPTER 18 (knowing the game is not essential to reading the fic, it gets pretty self-explanatory, just a warning for those who play it). also, a spoiler for _Star Wars VII_ near the end, but if you didn’t see it yet (granted you are a fan), getting spoiled is totally on you!

Steve held the phone in his hands, not believing what he was seeing. There was a cold shiver on his back and a tight grasp around his heart. It was so quiet, almost as if someone turned the whole world on mute, the whole air sucked out and leaving him struggling.

No, this was not happening. This was never supposed to happen. He slowly put his phone down, screen facing down, not able to look. Not able to move forward. It was overwhelming and the weight of it all sat heavily on his arms, forcing him to curl in himself. His world was collapsing and he mustered all the strength he had left in himself for a tearful cry.

“TONY!”

“Ewuh?!” Tony bolted up from the couch, feeling all fuzzy and bleary, brutally woken up from his nap. He looked around himself and ruffled his hair, not understanding what had happened. Did someone scream? The TV was turned off, so that was not it, he could smell the cooking dinner from the kitchen, and well, everything seemed perfectly fine and normal.

“Boss.”

Tony jumped, hearing Friday. Why was he feeling so nervous? “Fry, what’s going on?” He asked, rubbing his eyes from sleep.

“You should go to the kitchen.”

“What? Dinner is ready?” He asked, standing up and stretching, letting his body wake up.

There was a pause as Friday took her time to answer.

“I don’t think dinner will be ready for a while.”

That didn’t sound right. So, the scream he had heard… was it Steve?

“Steve!” Tony took a step, before running, more and more sure that what had woken him up was his husband’s screaming. “Steve, is everything - Steve!”

The sight was very confusing. The pots with food were gently simmering on the stove, steam rising and filling the kitchen with the scent of meat and spices. Some ingredients for a garden salad, Steve liked to force him to eat had been lined up on the counter, waiting to be chopped up and doused with olive oil just before serving, to keep the vegetables crisp. And at the kitchen table, was Steve, all bundled up in himself, pressing both hands to his face and not moving.

“Steve? Baby?” Tony came closer carefully, looking for any sign of what happened. Did Steve hurt himself? He looked around, expecting to spot droplets of blood, or maybe hot oil splatters, but their kitchen looked like usual, neat and organized. “Baby, are you okay?” Tony asked softly, putting his hand on Steve’s shoulder for attention, not expecting Steve to turn around so violently and bury himself into him with a loud sob. “Steve?!” Tony tried again, relaxing into the embrace and stroking hands along his husband’s nape and back of his head. “Baby, what happened?”

Steve took a wheezing breath, more sobs escaping him. “I - I lost him,” Steve finally managed to get out. His voice was heavy and wet, and Tony could feel tears soaking the material of his shirt. “I lost my best friend, Tony. He’s gone. She killed him.”

“What?” Tony asked, his voice dropping into a whisper. No, that couldn’t have happened. Who would go after Bucky? It had to be some false information. Had to be. “Steve. Steve, look at me,” Tony urged, stepping away to put both hands under Steve’s jawline and force him to look up. It was frightening how the blue eyes were filled up with tears, rolling down Steve’s cheeks without any control. “It has to be some sort of mistake. Who told you this?”

“No one. I saw it,” Steve sniffled, closing his eyes, more tears running down his face.

Tony’s mouth fell open in horror, his hands slipping down. Steve pulled Tony back and hid into his stomach again, and Tony absentmindedly started to stroke his husband’s shoulders. Steve watched Bucky die? Like, again, just this time die-die? For good? Tony couldn’t find any words, not imagining how horrible it had to be and what he could say to soothe his husband.

Just -

Steve had been in the kitchen. For quite some time. How he could be in the kitchen and watch Bucky die at the same time?

And then he heard it. Some sorrowful, quiet music. Tony saw Steve’s phone, upturned and on the table and reached for it, looking at the screen.

Four characters in the middle of a dark forest. Three kneeling, looking down at a body laying on the ground, eyes wide open, dark and absent.

Was it that _Harry Potter_ game Steve liked so much?

And just like that, all the nervousness that had gathered in Tony disappeared. Was this all hysteria about a character dying in the game?

Before Tony could react, Steve’s phone started calling, Bucky’s face and number flashing on the screen. It was probably the first time Tony was so happy to see Bucky.

“It’s Bucky,” Tony said, accepting the call and putting the phone to Steve’s ear. Steve sniffled, leaving a disturbing amount on wetness on Tony’s shirt, and took the phone.

“Hello?”

“ _STEVE! DID YOU FINISH -_ ”

“I did!”

“ _I can’t believe this happened!_ ”

“Me neither!”

“ _How they could do this to us?!_ ”

“I don’t know, Buck!”

Tony listened to the conversation, Bucky bellowing to Steve, sounding just as distraught as Steve was. Harry Potter nerds.

“ _This sucks so much,_ ” Tony heard Bucky spat out and Steve unglued himself from Tony and turned around to better talk with Bucky. “ _I just took out Andre for a Valentines’ Day dinner, and now they take our best friend away?!_ ”

“I know!” Steve tried to wipe his eyes dry. “I didn’t feel this bad since Merula cheated to get herself on the Frog Choir and I gave her my spot. How Sam took it?”

“ _He didn’t finish the chapter yet! I don’t know what I am going to do, he will be back from work in like an hour, how I am supposed to keep away from my husband that Rowan is dead?!_ ”

Tony felt that he wasn’t needed anymore. Let the nerds handle it on their own. He slowly started to back away, planning to head out, when Steve whipped around and looked at him.

“Where are you going?” Steve asked. Eyes wet, nose red, lips trembling. A pretty miserable sight. All over a mobile game.

“Nowhere,” Tony assured quickly, not able to leave his husband in such a pitiful state, even if it was over something so trivial. Well, for him. It meant a lot to Steve, and Steve meant a lot to Tony. Besides, when Han Solo had been killed by his own son, Tony bawled his eyes out and Steve was there for him the whole time, not letting out a peep. “I am here, baby,” Tony wrapped arms around his husband’s shoulders and put his cheek on Steve’s head, Steve leaning into his touch and holding him back with his free hand. And so, they stayed, Tony listening to Steve’s and Bucky’s tearful exchange, because it was just like their wedding vows said.

For better or worse, in sickness or health, and for moments of geekiness.

**Author's Note:**

> soooo, I am playing the game mentioned and I was pretty shocked about the chapter’s ending… also, if there is an opportunity to write about Steve geeking out about Harry Potter, I am gonna take it! (headcanon - Steve, Bucky and Sam like _Harry Potter_ , Tony and Rhodey prefer _Star Wars_ ). if you play the game, let me know your thoughts about what happened!


End file.
